Abstract: An apparatus and a method for electrically testing a microelectronic product employ an electrical probe tip for electrically stressing a portion of the microelectronic product other than an electrical contact portion of the microelectronic product when electrically testing the microelectronic product. The apparatus and the method provide for more accurate and efficient electrical testing of the microelectronic product.

Abstract: A method and in-situ sample current amplification system for carrying out failure analysis of integrated circuit semiconductor device conductive portions. The method includes providing an integrated circuit (IC) semiconductor device; providing a pre-amplifier board (PAB) comprising current signal amplification electronics; mounting the IC semiconductor device in electrical communication with the PAB; mounting the PAB comprising the IC semiconductor device in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for probing the IC semiconductor device with a primary electron beam; exposing at least a portion of the IC semiconductor device to the primary electron beam to induce a current signal within the conductive portions; amplifying the current signal; and, outputting the amplified current signal to an image display system to produce an image representative of an electrical resistance of the conductive portions.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for electrically testing a microelectronic product employ an electrical probe tip for electrically stressing a portion of the microelectronic product other than an electrical contact portion of the microelectronic product when electrically testing the microelectronic product. The apparatus and the method provide for more accurate and efficient electrical testing of the microelectronic product.

Abstract: A method and in-situ sample current amplification system for carrying out failure analysis of integrated circuit semiconductor device conductive portions. The method includes providing an integrated circuit (IC) semiconductor device; providing a pre-amplifier board (PAB) comprising current signal amplification electronics; mounting the IC semiconductor device in electrical communication with the PAB; mounting the PAB comprising the IC semiconductor device in a scanning electron microscope (SEM) for probing the IC semiconductor device with a primary electron beam; exposing at least a portion of the IC semiconductor device to the primary electron beam to induce a current signal within the conductive portions; amplifying the current signal; and, outputting the amplified current signal to an image display system to produce an image representative of an electrical resistance of the conductive portions.

Abstract: A method for locating a weak circuit that has insufficient driving current in an IC chip is described. In the method, an active surface of an IC chip can be irradiated by an electron beam point-to-point to determine a suitable loading current that will cause functionality failure in the IC circuit scanned. The functionality failure can be detected by a functionality tester that is mounted juxtaposed to the electron beam and functions simultaneously with the scanning motion. A threshold current is then determined as the loading current that causes failure and is used to scan the complete surface of the IC chip for locating all the weak circuits that may have insufficient driving currents in the chip. A suitable loading current may be selected between about 0.1 &mgr;A and about 100 &mgr;A for testing of most IC devices.